What is Five Nights at Epstein’s (and “Five Nights at P Diddy’s”)?: What parents, whānau and teachers should know

We have not classified this game as only physical games are covered by the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993. This means that most games sold as downloads, apps or online-only don’t have NZ ratings and classifications displayed. Find more about game rating and classifications here.

What is Five Nights at Epstein’s?

Five Nights at Epstein’s (and the similar Five Nights at P Diddy’s) are unofficial, internet-made horror games inspired by Five Nights at Freddy’s. The gameplay is simple. Players sit in one location, monitor screens, and try to avoid jump scares. Like the original, the tension comes from anticipation rather than action.

In reality, the experience is quite repetitive and, for many players, quickly becomes boring unless they’re playing or reacting to it with friends.

Why is Five Nights at Epstein’s trending and how might young people come across it?

These games are spreading mainly through social media and streaming platforms, where clips of jump scares or reactions are shared for laughs. The shock value and the use of well-known real-world figures makes them more likely to go viral.

The games have elements of parody and mockery. They lean into dark humour, referencing public figures like Jeffrey Epstein and Sean "Diddy" Combs in a way that’s intended to be provocative rather than informative.

Are there concerns?

For most young people or children, the main impact is likely to be confusion rather than harm. Many children won’t fully understand the real-world context behind the names or references, which relate to serious and sensitive issues.

Importantly, there’s no strong indication that these games encourage harmful behaviour or draw young people toward exploitative situations.

There are a few things for parents to be aware of:

• Dark or inappropriate themes: While not explicit, the subject matter references real-world harm and exploitation which might leave children with questions if they look further on the issues outside of the game.
• Jump scares: These can be unsettling for younger children, even if the gameplay itself is simple.
• Lack of context: Without understanding who these figures are, young people may engage with the content purely as a joke or trend.

Bottom line

The hype around this is not because the game is dangerous but because it is a piece of viral, edgy internet culture, piggy-backing off a well-known game. If your child has come across it, a quick, calm conversation, checking what they’ve seen and what they think it means, will go much further than alarm.

Further reading:

• Game on: Our guide to understanding international gaming classifications
• Children and Chatbots: Your Questions Answered
• Gaming Resource Hub
• Extremely harmful and illegal content online: What are young people seeing and what does it mean for parents?
• How to Report Harmful or Illegal Online Content in New Zealand